Sound-box for talking-machines.



H. JARDE.

SOUND BOX FOR TALKING MACHINES;

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 26, 1907. 917 ,07 6.

Patented Apr. 6, 1909.

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To all whom it 1m: y concern:

Bantu Janna, or NEW roan, r}. Y.

' SOUND-BOX FDR TALKING-MACHINES.

Speeifimtion of Letters Batent.

Patented April 6, 1909,

Application filed November 26; 1907. Serial No. 403,974.

! eral effectis softened and more melodious.

The benefits derived from my invention are Be it known thatl, llI-IXR! Janus, a citil zen of France, and a resident of the United {than in otherspfor instance, where bass mu- 60 States, residing in the city of New York, bor ough of Manhattan, county and State. of New York, have invented certain nev and useful Improvements in Sound-Boxes for 'lalking-Machipcs, of which the following is a specification.

The object ofimy invention is the'devising of suitable nicchanism'for retaining the neodle arm 111a sound-box of a talking machine whereby it is feasible to'cmpl oy a diaphragm for the sound-box made from su1t-ablecardboard n place of the more expensive mica diaphragm commonly used. While my. on-

deavors have been directed'with this end in View, the construction which I employ is, however, capable of operating the needlea'rfia inconjunction with a mica diaphragm also, but better results are obtainable \xith an inexpensive disk of card-board. In like manner the mechanisms employed in the several sound-boxes in common use may be used-in conjunction ith card-board diaphragmS, butnot ith the good results real- 426d when they are used with mica diahra ms. Briollv then in thesound-boxes in common use attention has been direct-ed toward devising mechanisms for obtaining the best results when using mica diaphragm's, and accordingly the mechanisms in use are best suitable in connection with mice diahragrns and with such diaphragms give the est results. The construction I employ is best suitable for ordinary chea card-board diaphragms and with such diap iragms 1 ob tain the best result.. Not only. is the card'- board inexpensive as' compared with the mica, but it is also far more durable.

- mica is used care must be taken else the rnica 0 l will be broken, especially 1f the sound-box is dropped, or otl'ieruise encounters-a severe blow; Attempts have previously been made to use card-bmrrd, but as far as I am aware they have met nit-h failu e, which is evi- .-used in practice.

dcnccd by the fact that micais universally Besides the advantages already mentioned, l clann for sound-boxes constructed according to my invention, and with the card-board diaphragm better results than obtainable from those now in use. When using my sound-box with a talking machine, much of the undesirable rasplng and rnctalli sounds are eliminated and the gen-- r r l more marked and noticeable in some records sic, a trombone, flute or cornet are played ith a clarinet, the sound ofthe'clarinct is hardly discernible when a sound-box with mica is used; whereas my sound-box gives to each musical instrument its full value and 65.

i whereas ith the ordinary box they may not Where be heard at all. Also what's a pianoaccom panics a singer, with-the ordinary sound-box the notes of the piano may at times be entirely drowned by the singer, whereas in my The distinguishing novel feature in my re- I producer or SOUHClTbOX is in the em loymentof a thin strip of metal preferably 0 steel and in the manner of securing it to posts or lugs that extend from the sound-.boxt'or that pur- 8 pose. Upon this strip is mounted the needle arm. The tension of the steel strip is adjustable and the part of the stripon either side of the needle arm and between the postsis reduced in cross-section. The needle arm is snugly fitted upon the strip, and-the 'contracted portions of the strip each side of the 'arm act as resilient pivotal connections for the needle arm.

Referring to the drawings: perspective .view of my complete sound-box. ig. 2 is a vertical sectional view; Fi 3 'is a "broken front view partly a sectiona View. ig. 4 is a broken plan view partly a sectional view. 1

- The card-board diaphr'agino is secured between rubber washers b'b within a casing A composed of a body portion a and a cap (1 secured to the body or back portion by screws 0. Upon the hack of the part c is 100 Figure I is a' end of the sound conducting tube of the talking machine (which is not shown inthe, drawings). 'lo properly position the .souhd- 1 box to the said tube of the machine a screw i .projects in the bushing h and this screw is irdaptcl to fit within a slot in the sound conducting tube of the-machine making'a bayo. 110

net-joint for. locking th e sound-box to the machine. Such a sound-box as' thus far 'de- 10 periphery of the cap d. The plate is preferably made integral with the ca or it may be brazed thereto, or if desired? secured bywscrews. The plate extends above the face of the cap to a suitable distance to facilitate an easy mounting of the needle arm C. In the forward end of the needle arm is a longitudinal bore or socket Z for retaining the needle point, and a set screw Z is provided for s'epu'ring the -needle uithin the socket. To the ar of the'needle socket is a transverse slot bore m for mounting the arm. The needle arm extends rearwardly formm the part n; This member a may be secure to the forward part of the arm 35 any suitable Way, preferably it should-be brazed in a hole formed to the rear of. the transverse slot m. The part a of the needle arm tapers rearwardly and is hentfdownwardly near the end to meet the card-board diaphragm at its center. U on this end of the arm 1s a head 0 provid with a screwthreaded hole p for securing it to the cardboard diaphragm by screw (1. The joint is hermetica ly sealed with wax r.

U on the ends of the plate B are formed bloc s s-s. The needle arm is positioned between these blocks, and the plate B is pro vidcd with slot t to permit the arm extending rcarwardly. Bore-s u-u and slots t-U 40 are lprovided in the ends of the blocks ss,

or t ey may be formed in the upper or lower faces of the blocks instead. 'lhe two slots 0-4). must be in exact alinernent. A thin stri of metal D (preferably steel) is snugly fitte through the transverse slot m of the needle arm and the ends of the strip are passed through the slots, vv. The ends of the strip extend beyond the slots and are pro-s vidcd with holes w 'w'into which are inserted 5O tapering pins :v-rc. .The blocks s-s are tapped for receiving the adjusting screws y-'y. Suitable s ace is allowed between the needle arm and t 10 blocks 8-8, and reduced portions zz are formed on the strip D extending through these spaces.

The steel strip is cut away on both sides to leave the reduced parts or thin ribs of metal zz, which act in the 'manner of pivotal spring connections. The cut-out portions to form the ribs z z are rounding, leaving, proportionately, large,fillets to strengthen the thin ribs. The adjusting screws (if-y have their ends extending into the end bores uu and abut against the metal strip D which passes through these .bores. By adjusting it may be these screws, the strip D maybe brought to the roper tension, as is needed to produce the est results from the sound-box. Such a mounting of'the needle arm is very delicate,

on account of the spring pivotal like eontracted portions z-2 on the strip D and is capable of veryv fine tensional adjustment by the screws y'y.

;The posts or blocks ss are made sufliciently large to form a protection for that part ofthe needle armand the contracted parts 2-2 of the strip D between them The parts are proportioned to allow the needle arm'n to just clear the face of the cap d and the part of the arm through which the trip D passes to just clear the plate B. Such a construction amply protects the part z-z of the strip D against rupture, sh oulc .the box he accidentally dropped.' In such a case the needle arm would almost invariably strike against the cap (1, and the resiliency of the parts z--z of the strip D are sufficient to permit of, such a small displacement without rupture. The radial arms I: and central part protect the inner end of the needle arm against accidental blows. I have tested my sound-box in this respect by throwing it along the floor across the room, without in any way injuring it. 1 have also. subjected it to suclrblows that were mica used for thediaphragm it would 'inevitably be broken.

By mounting the-needle arm on such delicate pivotaL connections under a state of strain the slightest movement of the needle point will be transmitted to the'diaphragm, and it is doubtless on account ofthis delicate eonstruction that my sound-box is capable;-

of reproducing many sound undulations where other sound-boxes fail. a I have thus far received the best results from using diaphragms made from pressed paper board, having a calendered or glossy appearance and o a thickness of: about 15/1000 of an inch. Where the board used 1 is much thicker the sound produced isdulled. and where thin board used a high pitched or screeehy tone is apparent, therefore care must be taken that a board of theproper thickness be selected.

I claim as my invention- -1. In a sound-box for a talking machine, mechanism for securing the'nee le arm inposition comprising a flat strip oi' metal u on which the needle arm is snugly mountedia post secured in fixed position on either side of the said arm, a slot in each post for receiv ing the ends of said strip, endortions of said strip having holes extending 'eyond the posts, tapering pins extending in the holes to retain the arm in transverse central osition, and to keep the metal strip taut an a screw tapped in each post having its end abutting against the strip, to regulatethe tension :zontal plane for retaining the ends of said strip, said slots bein of'greater width than the strip for'longitu inal positioning of the ann, end portions'of said strip having holes "extending beyond the posts, taperingpins extending in the holes to retain the arm in transverse central position and to retain the metal strip taut, and a screw tapped in each post having its end abutting against the strip to regulate the tension thereof, and to adjust the arm to transverse central o sition.

3. In a sound-box for atal ing machine, mechanism for securing the needle arm in position comprising a flat strip of metal u on which the needle arm is snugly mounte a post secured in fixed position on either side of the said arm', an open slot in each 0st in a horizontal lane for retaining the en s of said strip and Y or longitudinal positioning of the arm and to facilitate an easy insertion and Withdrawal of the strip when assembled With the arm, end portions of said. strip having holes extending beyond the posts; tapering pins extending in the holes to retain the arm in transverse central position and to' retain the metal strip taut, and a screw tappedin each post having its end abutting against the strip to regulate the tension thereof andto adjust the arm to transverse central position: j.

' 4. In a sound-box for a talking machine mechanism for securing the needle arm in position comprising a fiat strip'of-metal upon which the needle arm is mounted, a post so: cured in fixed position on either side of the zon'tai plane or retaining thevends offsaid strip andfor longitudinal positioning of the arin and to facilitate an easy insertlon and withdrawal of the strip when assembled with the arm, end portions of said strip having holes extending beyond the posts, tapering pins extending in the holes, to retain-the arm in transverse central position and to retain the metal stri taut, enlarged-recesses formed in the Walls 0 the slots, screws tapped in the posts having their ends abutting against the strip opposite the recesses toforce the strip into the recesses when screwed inward to a just the tension of the strip and to adjust the arm to transverse central position, and contracted portions formed on the strip between the arm and posts.

-HENRI JARDE. Witnesses:

ALEXANDRE SELMER,

EDGAR BRAILLY.

' said arm, an 0 en slot in each post ina hori-' 

